Support for Republican Candidate Amid Racist Attacks
A prominent Democratic donor has come out in support of Winsome Earle-Sears, the Republican candidate for governor in Virginia, following racist attacks directed at Black GOP candidates during a protest on August 21.
Robert Johnson, co-founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET) and chairman of RLJ Companies, contributed $500,000 to Earle-Sears’ campaign, according to reports from Politico on Friday. Johnson, noted as one of the first Black billionaires in the U.S., stated that his decision to back Earle-Sears stemmed from a desire to counter racist attacks aimed at her. Earle-Sears, if elected, would become the first Black female governor in the country, facing off against former Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, in November.
Johnson expressed his discontent, remarking, “I was so appalled by the racist diatribes displayed by some at a recent event. It showed that Black women stand together to support one another against ongoing racism. I’ve always been a savvy investor, and I’m investing in you.”
This isn’t Johnson’s first political donation; he previously supported former Democratic Governor Terry McAuliffe, who lost his bid for a second term against current Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin in 2021.
During the protest, an elderly white woman displayed a racially charged sign promoting left-wing gender ideology, which sparked further controversy. The sign read, “If trans people can’t share your bathroom, Black people can’t share my water fountains.”
Earle-Sears criticized the sign, stating, “I’m tired of it, but it’s not surprising. This is what the ‘tolerant’ left, which Abigail Spanberger defends, promotes. There is no place for such hatred in our Commonwealth, and anyone who doesn’t condemn this sign is complicit.”
Spanberger later denounced the sign as “racist” and “abhorrent” in a statement on social media. Despite Johnson’s support for Earle-Sears, Spanberger has consistently outperformed her in fundraising, ending June with $15.2 million compared to Earle-Sears’ $4.5 million.
